Holding All The Aces
by Smile Life Away
Summary: Their story was more than just falling in love. The ups and downs, break-ups and make-ups of Ted Tonks and Andromeda Black
1. Part One

**A/N: After a very long break from Fanfiction. I'm BACK! I present you with a chapter story.**

**Thanks to wvvampire for beta reading this for me.**

**Disclaimer: I Own Nothing**

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****Prologue**

The problem with time – as Andromeda was quickly discovering – is that it cannot be sped up. Sure, she could go to the past with a time-turner, but going forward in time was a different matter entirely. The clock seemed to know this, and therefore had decided to move especially slowly.

"And so…"

She blocked out her younger sister's voice and focused on the hands of the clock as they began to approach the nine. _Tick-tock, tick-tock…_

"Are you even listening, Andy?"

"Yeah, uh-huh…Malfoy -"

"He told me…"

She started to tap her fingers impatiently on the armchair, and then gazed down at them with a groan, realizing that they weren't manicured. In fact they weren't even at all.

"Cissy," she interrupted. "Do you have a nail file?"

Narcissa Black looked up at her skeptically and then with a shrug pulled one out of her pocket and tossed it to her older sister. Andromeda took it and began to file her nails – motioning for Narcissa to continue.

"And so maybe at the Christmas Party at the Malfoy's we – you and I – can -"

"Cissy," at this point Andromeda cut her off – looking up at her sister and brushing a curl behind her ear. "I'm staying at Hogwarts for Christmas." It was finally time to inform her sister, especially considering she'd be leaving tomorrow.

"What? No, Andy you can't! This was supposed to be the best Christmas ever and if you don't come home then what's Bella going to say? She's been waiting to see us – and what about Rabastan? He fancies you, you know. And how is Regulus going to feel?"

"I'll be home for the summer, Cissy," she promised, "and this is my last opportunity to stay for Christmas." It was a bad excuse, but it seemed to appease her younger sister.

The minute hand touched the nine and Andromeda practically jumped out of her chair before forcing a look of calm indifference onto her face. However, Narcissa noticed her moment of excitement.

"Why are you so jumpy?"

"I…umm…I have to go the bathroom, really bad."

"Well then, go!" The blond girl looked slightly disgusted, and Andromeda scrambled out of her seat and rushed out of the Common Room making sure her brown curls weren't too crazy and thanked Merlin for her sister's nail file; at least they – her nails - now looked presentable.

As she started through the hallways she felt butterflies building in her stomach though she wasn't sure why. She was used to this by now – sneaking around the school, snogging in empty classrooms or, lately, empty bathrooms – there was no reason to be nervous.

But there was something different – his words.

The note had said:_ I want to talk. Meet me in the Prefects bathroom. _Bellatrix had warned her about that. She could remember the conversation in her head:

"_Andromeda," Bellatrix Black entered her younger sister's room and took a seat on the bed. "We need to talk about something."_

"_What?" She didn't look up from her Witch Weekly _Magazine.

"_Mother's talked to you about boys, right?"_

"_Uh-huh." _

"_Well, did she tell you about the phrase 'we need to talk'?"_

"_Nope,"_

"_Well, it means one of…"_

The rest of it was a blur, and now Andromeda wished she had listened to her sister instead of being completely absorbed in the _Finding Your Perfect Wizard_ quiz on page nine.

With a sigh, she murmured _"gobstones"_ and entered the Prefects bathroom.

He was waiting for her, though she doubted he actually saw her entrance as he was facing the wall and combing his fingers through his blonde hair. She hesitated and then, when it was clear he wasn't planning on turning around anytime soon, walked up to him.

"Hey, Ted -"

"Andromeda!" He turned around quickly and instantly buried his hands in his pockets. "We need to talk."

"What about?"

"This," he pointed to their surroundings – a porcelain bathtub, a few deserted stalls, and a row of sinks-"isn't working."

"Well you suggested we meet in here," she brought up, not understanding.

"I mean all of it," he stated plainly. "The sneaking around Hogwarts – always trying to find a new place –I can't take it anymore," he finished and his hands disappeared back into his pockets.

Andromeda raised a finger to her mouth, but prevented herself from biting off the nail. Instead she walked over and took a seat on the side of the porcelain bathtub. "So," she bit her lower lip and stared at the ground before looking back up to meet his blue eyes with uncertainty. "I don't understand," she finally admitted. "What exactly are you saying?"

"I'm giving you a choice. I don't want to be a secret anymore, okay. Can you understand that?"

"You mean," she grasped at her hair. "You mean you want people to know? People can't know, Ted. That will ruin everything!"

"Well, the other option is we break-up," he stated with a simple shrug. "I mean it when I say I can't take it anymore."

She didn't move. Her heart literally stopped in her chest for a few moments. _Break-up _or _come out_. _Did he even understand what he was saying? Did he know what that would mean – for her?_

"Ted," she lowered her hand back onto the porcelain, stood up, and walked over to him again. "I know you don't understand, but it's not that easy," she stated and looked up at him.

He was close enough that she could feel his every breath on her face, but there was nothing magnetic about it, just terrifying. It was as if she was challenging him in a fight that would determine her future.

Andromeda squared her jaw and continued to stare until her light brown eyes fluttered and she lost their staring contest.

"Why can't it be?" He asked, breaking the heavy silence. "It could be fun, it would be different, and it would -"

"It would be a death sentence," she muttered under her breath, but he heard her. "Ted, you're a -"

"_Mudblood,"_ he finished.

"I was going to say Muggle-born."

"But you were thinking _Mudblood._ I am one, I know that."

"And well, my parents – Ted, if Malfoy found out he'd tease me relentlessly. If Narcissa found out she'd probably tell my parents or Bellatrix. You know Bellatrix, if she found out, she might actually kill me!"

"So that's it then," he blew out a sigh. "God, I wish wizards used cigarettes." He took a step towards her so that she was practically pressed against him.

"What is?"

"This is it, Dromeda." There was certain reluctance in his voice. "I'll go home for Christmas, and when I come back, we'll just go on as if we never dated."

"What if that's not what I want?" Tears were building in her eyes, tears she wouldn't let fall. She was a Black; she still had some pride left. "Give me more time, please. After we graduate I'll tell them. I-"

"No you won't," his voice was phlegmatic. "You'd never _dare _tell your parents that their perfect _pureblood _daughter is dating a _filthy, nasty, dirty M-_"

"Please don't say it," her face twisted in pain. "Please, just give me more time. I'll make everything right, eventually. I just… not now. I can't now. My aunt, if she hears about it, she'll threaten to disown me. She might actually do it."

"An-"

"Can't you see what's at stake here?" She stopped herself from yelling.

As for Ted, he brushed away the tears that she hadn't even realized were falling down her face.

"It's over, Dromeda."

And then he walked out. When she was sure he was gone, she sank to the ground and began to sob, her heart breaking into millions of tiny pieces.

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**A/N: So I wrote about five chapters for this story and then I realized i ought to write a prologue. See above for details as to the prologue. Anyway, please review :)**


	2. Chapter One

**Chapter One**

It was a bedroom that reeked of the changing times; a miniature of the Apollo 11 space rocket, a gift from his aunt from their trip to Florida, sat as a bookend on the bookshelf; a half-torn Beatles poster was posted on the white walls, so that the face of John Lennon was missing, and Ringo's suit was non-existent; a baby-blue lamp that had long since burnt out sat on a nightstand; and beside it a worn copy of _The Godfather,_ which was opened to page ninety-three and had been read exactly twelve times but never by its owner. On top of the book sat a wand, it was the wand that Ted Tonks was currently searching for under his bed while the radio blasted Led Zeppelin.

"Mum!" He finally called out – exhausted – as his feathery blond head emerged from beneath childish Superman sheets which were in dire need of being replaced. "Mum, have you seen my…never mind," spotting his wand he reached over and grabbed it with a quick smile.

"Ted, what is -" the woman – who'd apparently not heard the never mind – got to the entrance of his room before pausing and glancing at the destruction inside caused from his frantic search. "What are you doing? Why'd you destroy your Beatles poster, I though you liked them? What are you listening to?"

The seventeen year old boy – with a quick glance around grimaced at the scene. A pile of dirty clothes sat in the corner, and his drawers were spilling with even more; his school books, which had previously been stuffed under the bed, now blocked the entry to his bedroom; and his television set, a gift for his birthday, was acting as a holding place for the suit he was supposed to be wearing to the Christmas party that was occurring in less than an hour.

"I never liked the Beatles; the poster was a gift from Emily." He decided to answer the easiest of the questions. "Now that it's ripped I'm trashing it. I only kept it this long so I wouldn't hurt her feelings." He explained and lifted his wand to remove it entirely; however, his mother – who'd managed to made her way inside somehow – grabbed his arm and took it from him.

"And I'm sure Emily's feelings will still be hurt," she pointed the wand at her son. "So you will paste the poster and put it away, not trash it." She instructed.

"Can I have my wand back?"

"No," she hit the bridge of his nose before lowering the wand. "You will clean your room with these," she motioned to his hands. "When you're finished, and only then, I'll give you your wand back." With that she walked out of the room taking care to step over his school books on her way out.

Ted turned to the poster and glared at it before checking the clock, cursing to himself, and turning his attention back to the poster. He began to yank at the first pin, but either because of the amount of time it had been there or because it was just disagreeable it refused to come out. Instinctively, he reached down for his wand, but quickly remembered that it wasn't there.

"Mum!" He called again, "Mum I need my wand! You have to give it to me! I'm a legal adult now -"

"Will you stop yelling?"

"Unless you have my wand, Emily -"

Emily – his thirteen year old sister who neither had, nor wanted any magical abilities – entered his room and took a seat on his bed pulling her chestnut brown hair into a tight ponytail after she did so.

"Just tear it down," she instructed.

"I'm not _allowed _to." He gave her a pointed stare, and ignored the bitter humor that was he was nothing but a teenager in the Muggle world, even if he was an adult in the Wizarding World.

"Because it'll hurt my feelings, I heard," she rolled her eyes. "It won't, I promise. The Beatles are finished." She hopped off of the bed, and after pausing to place a kiss on the face of Paul McCartney, ripped it from the wall leaving only bits of paper beneath the four pins. "And mum went to the store," she explained. "Dad has your wand." She didn't leave and instead began to browse his room as if searching for a keepsake. "What happened to your girlfriend?" She finally asked.

Ted froze in the process of gathering his dirty clothes, "What girlfriend?" He reached down for a pair of socks and the whole pile fell to the floor.

"The pretty one, with the dark hair and the funny name,"

He briefly considered his possible avenues, which consisted of: _I never had a girlfriend. I broke up with her because I was tired of sneaking around. Go away, Emily. _And _oh, that girlfriend._ He was unable to decide on the most painless answer and instead ignored his sister's brazen blue-eyed stare.

"Well…" she finally pressed.

"We broke up." He explained quickly, knowing anything else would only mean he'd get less done and instead spend the time arguing with his sister.

"Why?"

"Uhh…it's stuff…stuff you wouldn't understand," He dumped the clothes into the empty hamper in the corner of his bedroom before leaning over to flick off the radio which was giving out the weather forecast.

"Like sex?" She lifted a box of condoms and his eyes grew wide before he dashed over and snatched them away from her.

"Those were from Uncle Jay, you know how weird he is."

"The box is empty," she stated plainly.

"I…I…I don't have to explain myself to you!" He defended and Emily simply smirked,

"So, was it?" She questioned as he stuffed the empty box in the back of his drawer before stuffing the rest of the clothes in the same drawer. "Was it because she wouldn't put out?"

"No!" He slammed the drawer and caught his football trophy before it could fall on the carpet. "It was nothing like that. I said you wouldn't understand…and you're thirteen you shouldn't know about that stuff. What aren't you telling me?" He rounded on his sister and she rolled her eyes.

"So it has something to do with wizards then," she crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Is she like royalty or something, wizard royalty, I mean she had that look. That royal look,"

"Something like that," he consented. "Now answer my question."

"You don't have to worry about anything, Ted. I heard about it at school." She explained, "But I _do _have a boyfriend. He'll be at the party tonight."

"Great," he smirked. "Point him out to me so I can kill him."

"Ted…" but he waved her away, and either because she was bored of bothering him, or she needed to get ready she walked out of the room not bothering to ask any more questions.

Ted now turned his attention to his books and, gathering all of them up, dumped them in the back of his closet before bunching up the now destroyed Beatles poster and tossing it in as well.

Glancing around quickly, he smiled at his accomplishments – making his room mildly neat – and went to retrieve his wand from his father. He was stopped; however, by a tapping on the window. Seeing an owl he lifted the window and took the letter allowing the owl to sit on his bedpost while his own owl, who was in a cage on top of his bookcase, glared down in jealousy before tapping its beak against the bars of the cage. Reluctantly, Ted opened it and his owl went flying out of the window while the owl from Hogwarts continued to wait.

Ted flipped the envelope to the front and recognized the script immediately.

"You can go ahead and go back now," he instructed, but the owl didn't move. "Well, I'm not responding, so go back!" Still there was no movement, and Ted ripped open the envelope and pulled out the three foot letter reading the first line.

_Dear Ted,_

_I'm sorry…._

He stopped there and grabbed a piece of parchment – wondering if the owl would carry a response to a partially read letter.

Placing the parchment on the nightstand, he grabbed a pen from inside the first drawer – being too lazy to find a quill – and set down to write a quick note, enough to appease her so that she'd stop writing.

_Andromeda,_

_Tell the bloody bird to stop harassing me. If I wanted to talk to you I would._

_Ted_

He crossed it out immediately, and crumbling it threw it into the tin waste bin not far away.

_Dromeda,_

That one word, he crossed out after the first word and tried again below.

_Andromeda Black_

_(Princess of Slytherin House),_

_Why aren't you at home for Christmas? You should be. I'm sure they miss you. I don't know why you keep writing me. I haven't read any of your letters. I thought we decided this was best, or I decided…_

Once again he threw the letter away and scribbled a final response.

_I'm sorry. I can't take it._

He attached it to the owl's leg and gave a sigh of relief when the bird finally took off. He now had exactly twenty minutes to retrieve his wand and look presentable. Taking a quick glance at his appearance – in the mirror – he dashed for his father's office knowing if he looked anything other than perfectly presentable when they got ready to leave his mother would be livid.

"Dad," he knocked on the door before opening it. "Dad, can I have my wand back?"

The man looked up from what appeared to be an encyclopedia and looked at his son through a pair of thick glasses.

"Why'd you get it taken away?"

"Cause my room was messy."

"Hmm…" he looked back at his encyclopedia as if to hide a chuckle. "Is it clean now?" He asked looking up; though the smile still played on his lips.

"Yeah, dad, my room's clean. Can I have it back now?"

"You know Emily beat you here." He quickly changed the subject and Ted groaned.

"Emily doesn't need it, I do. Emily can't do magic, I can. And Emily doesn't have less than twenty minutes to get ready for the Christmas party you're making us go to!"

"Don't yell, Ted, it's very rude and something might explode." He passed over the wand and the teenager grabbed it before slipping it into his jean pocket.

"That's not fair, dad. I haven't broken anything since I was -."

"Eleven," he finished. "When we said you couldn't go to Hogwarts you shattered your mother's four-foot, pure crystal, jewelry case."

"Okay, okay," he turned towards the door. "I'm sorry."

"It was hideous anyways."

Ted started to walk towards the door only to have a box hit him in the head; he turned and picked it up.

"Like I said," his father's smile grew. "Emily came to visit me before you, and apparently you're out."

"I don't need them." Ted tossed the box back.

"You know, just because you broke up doesn't mean -."

"We're finished," he pressed. "It didn't work out."

"That's too bad," his father sighed. "She was very pretty. You could've made very nice babies together."

"Goodbye." He exited to the sound of laughter at Ted's expense.

He entered his bedroom with the clear goal of removing the four wall pins and getting ready, but instead he found that his owl, Perseus, had returned and another one with it. It wasn't the Hogwarts owl, Andromeda had sent her own. The moment it saw him it flew over and threw down a red Howler before landing on Ted's arm.

"You don't want me touching you," he explained glancing at the letter warily. "I'm a filthy Mudblood." The owl nipped him and he instantly stuck his bleeding finger in mouth, and grabbed the note – opening it before it could explode.

"Ted Tonks!" Her voice rang loud enough so that he was sure the entire house could hear it. "Why won't you write me back? Why won't you even read my letters? And don't say you are writing back cause a sentence doesn't count! I said I was sorry! I just want to know why you're so upset! You broke up with me, remember! I'm not saying we should get back together I just want to know what's wrong! I'm sorry, okay! I'm sorry about everything. Please write me!" Her voice instantly changed from angry to a pathetic pleading and then the letter burst into flames.

Ted dashed to the door, closed and locked it, before Emily could come in, and then removing his finger from his mouth and ignoring the bird he changed into the suit and tie he would be wearing for tonight's event.

"Ted, what was that?" Emily's voice came from the other side of the door.

"Nothing, go away." He combed his fingers through his hair and fastened the black tie before slipping his wand in his inside jacket pocket.

Andromeda's owl flew over to him and landed on his shoulder this time.

"Go away, I don't have a response." This time it bit his ear. "Aagghh!"

"Are you okay, Ted?"

"I'm getting attacked by an owl, _no, _I'm not okay!" He considered stunning the bird, but quickly banished the idea. "All right, fine, I'll write her back. I bet she told you to bite me until I conceded."

The only response he got from the bird was a facial expression that looked somewhere between haughty and arrogant, or maybe a mixture of the two.

"Ted, mum's back, it's time to go!" Emily yelled through the door.

"I'll write her back when I get home, I have to go now."

The owl bit him again, this time nipping the bridge of his nose.

"Agghh…hold on Emily, I have to do something first."

"Ted Tonks, you get down here this instant!" His mother yelled from the doorway.

"Coming!"

With the owl still on his shoulders – looking very irritated with his inability to comply – he rushed out the door and down the stairs where his family was waiting.

Emily had a curled her hair and was wearing a burgundy dress that, he was positive, was to impress this boyfriend of hers. A look of disbelief covered her face. His father had put on a black suit and a bow-tie, and once again was hiding a smirk at the sight of his son. His mother was the only one who looked severely distraught, she looked elegant in her deep green dress, but her lips – freshly coated in bright red lipstick –were pursed in distaste.

As for Ted he was wearing a black suit with an unbuttoned coat. Two of fingers were bleeding, as well as the bridge of his nose, and an owl sat on his shoulder with its talons digging into his shoulder.

"Why are you bleeding?" Emily finally asked, her nose scrunching as she crossed her arms in front of her dress.

"Umm…I…" there was no way to explain this really. "I have to write a letter."

"Oh, I know that, Ted." His mother's frown grew. "We all heard _your_ letter."

"It's important."

"Do it when you get home." She instructed, "now get rid of the bird we have to leave, and do something about the umm…" she pointed to her own nose as an explanation.

"He won't leave until I write it."

"We're going to be late, Ted." Her voice shook as if she was struggling to maintain her composure without bursting into a fit of tears or a chorus of yells. "Now, I've made concessions for you. I've let you get an owl even though I have a strict "_no birds"_ policy, I send you money during the school year - not to mention I have to convert it at the beginning of every year -even though you don't do chores while you're away and you try to do them with magic when you're home, I put up with you blowing up things, breaking things, turning water goblets into small animals. All of it! And I ask you to do _one _thing for me, _one thing_ and you can't even do that." She finally stopped talking, exhausted and Ted shot his dad a look as if hoping the man would take his side.

"Make sure the owl is gone before we get there," his father said and opened the door. "And fix your face."

His mother walked out first and his father followed. Emily waited for a few seconds and then pulled a piece of paper and a pen from behind her back and handed it to him.

"I think dad just gave you permission to bring an owl in the car." With that she walked out too, and Ted – after glaring at the owl on his shoulder – started out the door wondering if it would continue to cling to him.

It did.

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**A/N: Tha**nks to PrimroseAmelia for betaing this

**It may seem to you that this was written before the prologue. It was. Thanks for noticing.**

**Please Review :)**


	3. Chapter Two

**Thanks to PrimroseAmelia for betaing for me.**

**Chapter Two**

_Andromeda Black,_

_I'm writing this in a car, so I'm both rushing and my pen is shaking. I'm sorry. I just used two words that you probably don't understand. A car is what Muggles use to travel and a pen is what Muggles use to write. I'm only writing back because your bird keeps attacking me, and won't leave me alone until I respond, which would be fine except I'm on the way to a Christmas Party and my mother is moments away from murdering me._

_I don't see why you keep writing me, and I don't see why you care. I'm not angry with you, okay. We broke up because that was what's best. You know that…_

"You're not very nice, you know that?" Emily, who'd been tilting her head to stare at what he was writing, interrupted him now.

"I didn't ask your opinion," he snapped and stared back at his letter.

_I'm tired of sneaking around all the time, Andromeda. I know it was hard for you, lying all of the time and everything, but it was worse for me. I was the one who wasn't good enough, remember. I wasn't good enough for your sisters to even acknowledge, I wasn't good enough for your parents, and frankly I wasn't good enough for you. If I had been you wouldn't have kept me a secret from all of your friends…_

"You could at least be nicer about it." Emily suggested, lifting up a finger to brush away a strand of hair that wasn't there.

"You don't know what you're talking about, Emily."

"You broke up with her."

Ignoring his sister as well as the glare his mother was sending him from the front seat of the car he continued to read.

_I'm not saying it's your fault or anything, just that the owls are really driving my mother crazy. I'd say lets discuss it at school but I really don't want to hide in another broom closet. Just, stop sending Merlin to harass me, if I want to talk to you. I'll owl you, okay._

"She's not going to listen to you. I wouldn't listen to you."

_Ted Tonks_

After he signed it, he folded the letter and handed it to the owl, who only held out his leg as a response. Ted attached the letter to his leg and then put down the window.

"Do not send an owl out of a car window!" His mother shrieked. "How is that going to look?"

Quickly, Ted started to crank it back up. "I thought you would want me to get rid of it before we -" But he stopped short at his mother's face. "I'll wait till we stop."

Satisfied, she turned back around to face the road, and Ted looked up at the owl.

"You never did finish telling me what happened," Emily spoke up.

"Because it's none of your business," he held out his forearm and the owl plopped down on top of it finally freeing his shoulder. Ted stroked the feathers absentmindedly and the animal seemed to ignore the previous insult on its judge of character from Ted.

"You said it had something to do with her being wizarding royalty."

"I said it was like that," he checked out the window and gave a sigh of relief when he realized they were within visible sight of the country club.

"Well if it wasn't that, what was it?" She pressed.

"I'm curious too," his father piped up, turning into the parking lot.

"I have dirty blood," he mumbled so quietly that neither one of them heard anything except gibberish.

The car came to a stop then, and his mother sent him a pointed look before getting out. Ted opened his own door and sent the owl off before standing up and getting out of the car.

The place was already filled with people when they arrived, and Emily attached herself to his side – until she recognized her boyfriend, a fourteen year old red head with green eyes and freckles – and then she abandoned him for a more desirable companion. At first Ted considered introducing himself to him, but he was soon cornered by one of his mother's friends and all hope of escape was lost.

"Theodore," she hugged him. "I haven't seen you since the summer. How's school?"

"Fine," he ignored the use of his _Christian _name that the woman – Jackie Travis – insisted on using whenever she addressed him.

"You go to a boarding school in Scotland, right?"

"Yes, ma'am," he glanced around for something that would mirror delightful company, but recognized no one.

"What's it called again?"

"St. John's Preparatory Academy," he made up quickly, but the woman didn't seem to notice.

"A Catholic School," her flabby pink lips turned in a distasteful frown.

"No. It's a...umm…ehm…well…"

"Ted Tonks, is that you?" The voice belonged to Callum Jackson – a tall boy, with dark hair, blue eyes, and glasses – his best friend from his childhood football team.

"Callum," he broke away from Mrs. Travis then, and ignored her confused look. "I haven't seen you since -"

"We were eleven," he finished. "_St. John's Preparatory Academy_, did you just make that up?"

"Shut-up," he buttoned his suit – remembering that he hadn't done it before.

"You still blowing things up," Callum smiled, and Ted pushed him away from the crowd.

"How'd you…remember…I didn't do that." He finished.

"Yeah, sure, Ted. I was the first person to see your letter, remember?"

"It's a secret -"

"I know, I know; I haven't told anyone, Tonks, don't worry about it." Callum stuffed his hands into his pockets. "How are you?"

"Great," Ted lied.

"Yeah, and Clark Kent's Superman,"

"Clark Kent is Superman," His eyebrows scrunched in confusion.

"I meant _isn't_. I've got one, repeat what you said."

"Clark Kent is Superman?"

"No, before that," Callum did a circular motion with his right hand.

"Great."

"Yeah, and Merlin existed." He chuckled at his own joke, and Ted stared at the ground. "What are you going to say, Merlin did exist."

"Well, yeah." He shrugged.

"I give up. So what is it, mate, what's broken your heart. Or who, is she pretty?"

"I'm not…I'm not into girls right now."

"Should I back-up then, are you checking me out?"

"You're an idiot, you know that. I just meant I'm not dating anyone." He explained.

"What, your wizard school doesn't believe in dating?"

"No, I mean yes, I mean…they don't care!" He finished, and glanced across the room at Emily who was giggling like a hyena at something the boy had said. "Will you excuse me?" He started to walk away but Callum stopped him.

"Don't," he advised.

"My sister is -"

"It's puppy love, if you embarrass her she'll never forgive you."

"She never sees me." He brought up, destroying Callum's argument. "I can't have my little…my baby sister flirting."

"She's thirteen years old practically a -"

An owl swooped into the ballroom and instantly his mother, father, and Emily all turned to stare at him. It wasn't Perseus and it wasn't Merlin. It was a different owl entirely, pitch black, coal black with fierce eyes as if determined to accomplish a goal.

Instantly, Ted started towards the door wanting nothing less than to do memory charms on the whole place. Callum followed him, and the owl spotted him and landed on his shoulder the moment he stepped outside.

The December air slammed into his face and chilled him to the bone – even through his suit – and Ted shivered before pulling the note off of the owl's leg.

_Ted Tonks,_

_This is Sirius Black. You don't know me, I wouldn't expect you to. I'm Andromeda's cousin, the nicest of her cousins. I'm in Gryffindor. I'm writing you because for some reason Andromeda is sobbing. And I just wanted you to know that if you did anything to her I'll kill you the moment you get back to Hogwarts. Don't bother responding, the bird is impatient he'll probably fly off before you finish reading this._

_Sirius Black_

The boy was right because as soon as Ted looked up the owl detached itself from his shoulder and started through the sky. He crumbled the wad of parchment and stuffed it into his suit pocket.

"Well, what was that about?" Callum asked.

"Nothing, um…school stuff." He explained quickly.

"Who's Sirius Black? And what kind of a name is Sirius?"

"A wizard name," Ted explained doubting that sort of an answer would suffice.

"Well you're a wizard, and you don't have a funny name." Callum pressed.

"It's different, I'm not a pureblood."

"What's a pureblood?" Ted regretted his words and sighed watching his breath float in front of him.

"It's cold out here," he answered, but Callum ignored his reluctance to speak and pulled out a pack of cigarettes took one for himself and handed one to his friend.

"It'll make you feel better," he advised and, after Ted placed it in his mouth, lit it.

It didn't make him feel better – initially- he hadn't smoked in what seemed like forever. A burn coursed through his throat, his nose, his lungs and he struggled not to cough and focused on breathing out. When he did it came out in a cloud –in front of his face- and the smoke stung his eyes. Placing the butt back in his mouth he tried again, and the second time the burn wasn't as bad, a few more times and he was able to regulate his breathing.

"So," Callum prompted. "What's a pureblood?"

"Forget I said anything," he breathed out more smoke. "It's not important."

"Ahh…but it is," Callum took a whiff of his own cigarette. "Come on, tell me. I gave you a free cigarette."

"A pureblood is a witch or wizard that has magical parents and grandparents…basically they don't have a single Muggle in their entire line."

"And a Muggle is a…?"

"A non-magical person, like you," Ted motioned to Callum with his cigarette. "There are some pureblood families, like the Blacks, that don't like Muggle-borns, like me." He breathed out more smoke.

"Then why did Sirius Black say you made _his _cousin cry – Andromeda - if he's the pureblood who hates you."

Ted sighed and pulled out the letter again scanning the words quickly, as if he was thinking of what to say to Callum. He wasn't, he was stalling, trying to remember who Sirius Black was, if he'd ever seen him. He doubted it; the boy was Gryffindor and a second year – according to Andromeda.

"Ted…" Callum did not look as if he was planning on giving up.

"Sirius is different from the rest of them, according to her, and Andromeda is…well she's…she makes an exception for me or something." He shrugged.

"So you did break her heart,"

"I didn't. She made a choice and I just acted on it."

"Why'd you break up with her?"

"Because," he answered. "It was what needed to be done."

"But you just said she isn't like the rest of them, that she goes against her family to be with you, and you broke up with her."

Ted laughed; he pulled the cigarette from between his lips and laughed. "You're just like her, Callum, just like her, twisting every _damn _thing I say and turning me into the enemy. I never said she battled her family to be with me. They don't even know. Our "relationship" - if you could call it that - consisted of sneaking around Hogwarts."

"So basically you were tired of sneaking around."

"Yes!"

"You didn't like that you had to hide out in broom closets to talk to her."

"Yes!"

"You didn't like that there were a bunch of other girls that wanted to go out with you, but you had to pretend not to like them because you were technically in a relationship, albeit a secret relationship, that consisted of snogging in bathrooms and whispering in the dark."

"Yes!"

"So basically," Callum smirked. "You broke up with her because you were tied down and not getting any."

"Yes, I mean no…I mean not everything is about sex, Callum." His face flushed red.

"Apparently, it is." His smile grew and he took another drag of smoke. "Now, I'm not blaming you, I would've done the same thing, Ted. But to lead her on that long and blame it on prejudice that's a pretty…well it's just not very nice at all." He finished, "but move on, find another girl."

Giving up, Ted breathed out more smoke and trembled as a rush of cold air hit his neck. "Like…"

"Like Charlotte Travis."

"Mrs. Travis's daughter, the second grader we used to pick on, the one who won all of the spelling bees?"

Callum nodded, "That's the one. She's sixteen now. And really very, well, let's just say we made use of your bedroom during the Book Club Meeting both of our mother's forced us to attend." He smiled wildly at the memory.

"I'm guessing you went through my drawers too,"

"Oh, yeah, did you want them back?" He asked still smiling.

"Why'd you leave the box?"

"So it would be funnier when your mum found it, was it priceless?"

"Emily found it." Ted explained. "And I'm not going to shag your girlfriend to get over mine."

"She's not my girlfriend," Callum stated plainly and pulled a set of keys from inside his jacket. "My dad owns the Country Club; this is the master key for all the rooms…in case you change your mind." He tossed it to Ted. "Unless, you really aren't over her,"

"I am."

"Then I'm sure it will interest you to know that dear Charlotte is standing by the drink bar in a beige cocktail dress."

Callum stood up, tossed the cigarette on the ground and crushed it with the toe of his shoe, then walked back inside.

Once the door closed behind him Ted tossed the keys up, caught them, and then tossed them up again. Andromeda would kill him, but then again, they'd broken up. His mother would kill him, only if he got caught, which was doubtful. He glanced at his watch, and determined that they would be here for at least another three hours.

Standing up, he too walked inside and fell in beside Callum.

"It's too cold out there," he explained.

"Sure."

"It's wrong to take advantage of girls, even if they let you."

"Yeah,"

"I'm over her, I really am."

"I know."

Ted, who hadn't ditched his cigarette, took another whiff of smoke and wondered if he ought to upgrade to his father's store of cigars. Callum just continued to smile widely.

"Wipe that stupid smile off of your face; I'm going to do it." Ted said suddenly.

"Aww…don't do it to prove something to me, I get it. You're not over your girlfriend, you're afraid of getting caught, you…TED!"

Ted Tonks, lowering his cigarette butt, started through the crowd of people towards Charlotte Travis who'd just taken a drink from the punch bowl. He would do it. He was over Andromeda. He would not be seen a coward by Callum Jackson.

She smiled when he approached her, and brushed a dark curl out of her face.

"You looked bored," he dropped the keys in his pocket.

"Oh…yeah…" she took another sip."I didn't recognize anyone here."

"Well Callum's here," he pointed and her face flushed scarlet. He pretended not to notice.

"Really, I didn't see him." She lied and lifted the cup again, this time her hand shook.

"Are you all right?" He asked.

"Oh, I'm fine, how are you? I haven't seen you since…"

"Primary school," he finished.

"Yeah, wow," her eyes widened. "Wow! You go to that boarding school in Scotland."

"Yeah, St. James," he hoped that was right.

"I thought it was St. John's," she bit her lower lip and stared at the glass and then looked back up at him. "I mean that's what my mum told me." It came out in a rush.

"Yeah, right, I messed up. James…John…they're all Disciples."

She laughed, "Yeah, they're that…I'm sorry you're Theodore right?"

"Ted's fine," he explained – crushing the cigarette in an ashtray sitting by the drinks. "My mum calls me Teddy."

"Teddy," she giggled again. "Teddy Tonks."

"Yeah, everyone gets a rise out of that one."

"I think it's cute." Her green eyes sparkled, and he smiled widely.

"So does my mum," he reached forward and poured himself a glass of whiskey.

"Your parents let you drink?" She asked.

"No," he shrugged. "I'm in boarding school I see my parents at Christmas and during summers."

"Right,"

"You want some." He offered her the glass - before he could drink out of it- and glancing around quickly she took it from him.

"Thanks."

"My pleasure," he turned his head and made eye-contact with Callum who was mouthing words accompanied by much gesticulation he neither could, nor cared to, understand. "So, what's with Callum?" He pointed to his friend and she looked too.

"I don't know," she shrugged and blushed again. "He's weird."

"Yeah, he is." Ted agreed deciding to shy away from the topic of Callum for the rest of the night. "Do you like it?" He pointed to the glass that she'd only taken a few sips from.

"It's pretty good, actually." She lifted it to her lips again and took a longer drink this time. "Do you like your school?"

"Uh…yeah, I love it. I was going to stay for Christmas break."

"Why didn't you?"

"I broke up with my girlfriend," he poured a second glass of whiskey – for himself – and took a sip. "So I came home."

"I'm sorry," she actually looked apologetic. "What happened? Sorry, it's none of my business."

"Don't be sorry," he smiled easily. "It just didn't work out, it was consensual." He lied hoping that she'd believe him.

She was silent for a few moments, awkwardly silent; she just finished out the glass and then – putting it down – fumbled with her golden bracelet before looking up at him through her curled eyelashes. Ted stuffed his hands in the pockets of his suit coat and felt the hard metal of the keys brush against his fingers.

"It's really hot in here," she said suddenly. "Aren't you hot? I'm really hot."

"It's freezing outside," he volunteered the information in an effort to cut off that route.

"Yeah, you're right." She nodded quickly.

"It's all the people in here," he reached for his mouth only to remember he'd ditched the cigarette. "Packed bodies cause heat."

"Yeah, right…" she glanced around.

"Did you want to go in a different room? It'll be cooler, and I really need another cigarette." Ted cursed his inability to be sly or even come up with a good excuse. Thankfully, she didn't seem to notice. Apparently spelling skills didn't mean genius.

"Everywhere is locked," she pointed out.

Ted resisted the urge to roll his eyes, and pulled out the master key to the building. "You sure about that,"

She smiled and he wondered how naïve she could possibly be. Or maybe she trusted him. He felt guilty, but only slightly. It wasn't like he was about to do anything wrong. And it wasn't like he had a girlfriend, anymore.

"It is really hot in here," she conceded.

"Blistering," He agreed, and understood why Callum had pointed out her. The girl was easy, much too easy.


	4. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

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Considering there were still thirty minutes until the students remaining at Hogwarts had to be in their Common Rooms, Andromeda Black was sitting outside in the courtyard reading the letter, or rather a specific part of it, for the third time.

_I'm tired of sneaking around all the time, Andromeda. I know it was hard for you, lying all of the time and everything, but it was worse for me. I was the one who wasn't good enough, remember. I wasn't good enough for your sisters to even acknowledge, I wasn't good enough for your parents, and frankly I wasn't good enough for you. If I had been you wouldn't have kept me a secret from all of your friends…_

Suddenly, she started to tear the page in half, and then in quarters, again and again until all that was left were pieces of confetti, which she let fall to the ground.

"Andromeda?" Seeing her younger cousin she stopped the tears, building in her eyes, from falling down her face, and instead reached down and started to gather the pieces of paper.

"Oh, hey, Sirius, why didn't you go home for Christmas?" She asked, trying to sound nonchalant but the pressure from leaning down caused the first tear to fall and land on the stone. She quickly brushed it away and, gathering the pieces, looked back at up at him.

"Same reason you didn't," he shrugged and sat down beside her. "I didn't want to deal with my parents." He rolled his eyes as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Where are your friends?" She asked, "You're never by yourself."

"They all went home for Christmas, their parents _demanded _they come." He explained.

"And yours didn't," She tried to stop the croaking in her voice and didn't blink for fear of bursting into tears.

"They did, I ignored them," he smirked.

"I'm sure you hurt Regulus's feelings," she attempted to be stern, but he just looked up at her skeptically and her defenses fell.

"He'll get over it. I sent him a gift and everything." Sirius pointed out, "What's wrong with you?" he asked

"Nothing," Andromeda piled her dark curls on top of her head. "I was just…desecrating a piece of paper." She finished her voice lowering. There was really no way she could describe her action – without it sounding bad.

"Who was it from?"

"Umm…no one, important," she finished.

"Your boyfriend," It wasn't a question. "I've seen you guys, you think you're secretive, but you're really not. I see the way he stares at you and stuff. It's gross."

"He's not my boyfriend, Sirius." She snapped, "He's a Mudblood." She tried to keep her expression indifferent when she said the slur, but it twisted in pain involuntarily.

Sirius noticed.

"You're a hypocrite, Andromeda." He said finally, "You're always saying don't say _you-know-what _and now you're using it. Just cause you're mad at him -"

"You don't know what you're talking about, Sirius! Okay. You're just a little kid, you don't understand!"

There really was no point in her chastising him, he hadn't done anything wrong. He was the only family member who she could tell about Ted without being lectured on pure-blood supremacy, even if he was too young to understand everything, and now she was cutting him off.

"Well then, what happened?" He asked calmly, giving her a pointed grey eyed stare and looking every inch the Black family heir.

"He wanted to come out," By now her head hurt from holding in the tears for so long, but her eyes were dry at least. "Tell everyone about us, and I didn't. I was scared about what everyone would say. I mean if Narcissa found out, or if Malfoy found out it would be bad enough. But if Bella…I wouldn't even be able to go home, if Bella found out. If I was lucky, she'd kill me." The tears resurfaced, and now they were falling down her cheeks. "And I told him, I told him everything, and he broke up with me, just like that. Said he couldn't deal with it anymore, it was _too much for him_. What about me?"

"I wrote him a letter," Sirius admitted. "A few hours ago, you were crying again and I knew it had to do with him, but I didn't know what it was. So I wrote him a letter. I threatened him."

"And now you regret it," Andromeda guessed. "Now you know it wasn't his fault at all. He was justified, he was tired of it. He couldn't deal with it -"

"No," Sirius shook his head. "Now I really am going to kill him." He gave a weak smile, "Even if you can't temper your tongue."

"I'm sorry, Sirius. I shouldn't have said _Mu_- you-know-what." She apologized.

"I forgive you," he patted her on the shoulder as if granting her clemency for some horrible crime and she ruffled his hair. "Hey, you can't touch me like that! I'm Sirius Black!"

"Yes, you're the heir to the Black family line. Practically royalty." She exaggerated,

Sirius, as an answer, gave her a mock glare. "Let's go to the Great Hall," he suggested. "I'm sure they have food."

"And lemme guess, you're starving."

He nodded. Andromeda stood up and – dumping the pieces of parchment in her jean pockets – held out her hand for her cousin.

"I don't need to be guided, Andromeda."

"Fine, Sirius, fine," She lowered her hand and waited him to stand up on his own and walk ahead of her. The two cousins started to make their way to the Great Hall. "Sirius…" she started after they began walking."Do you think we made the wrong decision?"

"By which you mean…?"

"Do you think we should've gone home for Christmas?"

"No," he answered without thinking. "Do you?"

"No, of course not," she answered quickly, but her mind swarmed with the possibilities.

She knew that if they had gone home they'd be at the Malfoy Manor right now. She'd want to wear a set of royal blue dress robes, but her mother would force her to wear blood red ones. Because blue looked better on Narcissa – because it matched her eyes – and Andromeda looked better in red, though she liked blue much better as a color. Bellatrix would show up, beside her husband, in black.

Andromeda was sure she'd spend the first half of the night gossiping with Narcissa because Lucius Malfoy couldn't keep his eyes off of her baby sister. And then she'd dance with Bellatrix's husband, Rodolphus, and try to be cordial to him, and if she was in a good mood she might even pretend she liked him. She'd ignore Rabastan's advances of course and come up with some bad excuse as to why she needed to leave his side. She'd intentionally make it bad so that he'd know she wanted nothing to do with him.

Regulus would be standing in a corner, and whenever he was sure no one was looking he'd pull out a book and start reading it, but it would disappear beneath his robes whenever anyone appeared. Sirius would catch him – assuming he wasn't sulking in a different corner – and start to read out loud obnoxiously until Andromeda came over and pointed out Cassandra Zabini, to her youngest cousin, who – no matter what she was wearing – would look much too pretty for any ten year old. Zabini – as soon as she noticed Regulus looking back at her – would smile and bat her eyelashes and Regulus would flush scarlet, and of course either Sirius or Andromeda would push him in the girl's direction.

As soon as Regulus was chatting the night away she'd pull Sirius into a dance – no matter that he was protesting – and they would make fun of everyone in attendance, until Nott pulled her away. She wouldn't dance with Nott she'd insist he get her a drink and even accompany him to the table. She'd sip fire-whiskey and smile coyly at everything he said until he was sure he'd gotten to her. And then she'd comment that he really "is much too old for her," and watch his face fall…

"Andromeda," Sirius interrupted her thoughts. "There isn't any food." He sounded dejected.

"Let's check the kitchens," she suggested, and he groaned. "What?"

"House-elves," he stated plainly as if it explained everything.

"You really need to get over your irrational fear of house-elves," Andromeda joked.

"I'm not afraid of them; I just can't stand them, especially Kreacher."

"He's not bad," she defended the Black family elf. "If you were nicer to him I'm sure that he would -"

"I'm not hungry anymore." Was the answer that Sirius gave her, "You want to sleep in the Gryffindor Common Room?"

"No thanks, Sirius. You go ahead. I'm just going to hang out for a bit longer."

"Don't write him," he advised. "You'll sound needy."

"Thanks, Sirius…thanks for giving me relationship advice. Have you ever even had a girlfriend?"

"I'm right," he responded, which she took as a _no_, and then with a wave he continued through the hallways and started towards his Common Room.

Andromeda, too, started towards her own Common Room – slightly looking forward to it being empty- with her eyes drifting the floor, in a very un-Black like fashion, and her hands stuffed in her pockets.

"_Blood Purity_," she murmured when she came to their portrait hole and then stepped inside.

A few sullen third years sat in the Common Room – in front of the fireplace – they ignored her entrance and she did likewise, and went straight for her dorm room paying very little attention to the ghost drifting beside her. He never had anything to say anyway.

When she entered her bedroom an owl was waiting for her with a letter. Andromeda reached over and removed it from his extended leg, pushing away the fragile hope that it was from Ted as soon as she recognized the bird.

_Andy,_

_You'll never guess what happened! Tonight's party at the Malfoy's, I mean at tonight's party at the Malfoy's, Lucius asked me out! I don't mean in that cordial, polite way that mother is always talking about. He asked me to be his girlfriend! Scandalous isn't it? I can't believe he even used that word, "girlfriend" it has such a naughty ring to it! Oh, Andy you should've been there! I don't know why you didn't want to come home for Christmas. Aunt Walburga's house had the most wondrous tree and she pulled out some old stores of mead and the food was divine, it was glorious, Andy, it really was. I opened your present even though Christmas isn't for two days. Please forgive me. I love it, I love it so much! I expected you to get me a book or something, but really Andy your taste has very much improved. How did you know I wanted a diamond necklace? Don't answer that. Anyway, write me back soon. _

_Much love,_

_Cissy_

Smiling to herself, Andromeda pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill to reply.

_Cissy,_

_Congratulations! I know how much you like him. Make sure he knows that if he hurts you I'll kill him, I mean it too. I know, I know, I'm regretting my decision to come home so much. It's awfully boring here. I only have Sirius for company, and although he's plenty of fun he's still only a second year. I'm happy you like my present; in all honesty I had help picking it out. Or rather someone else picked it out and told me you'd like it and forced me to wrap it – something Greengrass. She's in Lucius's year, really bossy and not even as close to as pretty as you are. You have nothing to worry about. However, she is very good at picking out presents. I miss you so much, and I can't wait until the new term starts. (I can't believe I wrote that)._

_Hugs and Kisses,_

_Andy_

"All right, one more trip for you." She attached her letter to the leg of her sister's bird and sent it off before collapsing on her bed and pulling out the tiny pieces of paper.

Pulling out her wand she waved it over the pieces so that they reformed into Ted's letter. She read it one last time but the words didn't change - _I wasn't good enough for you. _Forgetting Sirius's advice she looked up at Merlin who was moments away from falling asleep.

"Are you up to another trip?" She asked, and instantly the owl's eyes closed. "Okay, fine, I'll use a different owl, like I did before." His eyes snapped open, and Andromeda smiled. "You really are too jealous for your own good, Merlin. Much too jealous."

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**A/N: Please Review. **


	5. Chapter Four

**A/N: All right. Here we go**

**Disclaimer: Own It…NOpe**

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****Chapter Four**

Ted was lying on his bed with a cigarette in one hand and his wand in the other – wearing nothing but his underwear, briefs not boxers. Ted brought the cigarette to his mouth breathed in a whiff of smoke and held it long enough to burn before he blew it back out.

He wasn't over Andromeda Black. That was the problem. Callum had been right, there hadn't been a moment – during the time he was alone with Charlotte – that she hadn't drifted into his mind in one way or another.

"Accio Coke," he muttered and watched the nearly empty can fly into his hand.

He'd gotten caught. Unfortunately for him he'd gotten caught by Mrs. Travis – after the fact. Instead of doing a memory charm he'd tried to explain, or rather he'd let Charlotte try to explain while she slipped into her dress beneath her mother's narrow-eyed glare. Of course the explanation hadn't gone well and she'd practically dragged him, Ted not her daughter, to his mother while he struggled to tuck his shirt back into his pants and make the flush disappear from his face. Needless to say, he was grounded for the rest of Christmas break, and he guessed probably when he returned for the summer too even though he'd be eighteen then.

Ted took a drink from the can – letting his wand fall on the bed – and then breathed out some more smoke before the door opened and his father walked in, for once he wasn't smiling.

"Give me your wand, and give me the cigarette. Your mother is too embarrassed to speak to you." He approached the bed and took both articles from Ted.

"Dad, I'm sorry…" he started, but the man just held up the cigarette.

"This is inexcusable. Where'd you get it from? Never mind, don't tell me." He stared at his son for a few moments before starting towards the door.

"Dad!" Ted called again, "Dad, can I at least have my wand?"

"No. I'm letting you keep your owl in here, be grateful." With that he walked out of the room and closed the door behind him.

Callum had laughed, and he hadn't stopped until Ted stuck his wand under the other boy's chin and threatened to curse him. Callum, who was used to his old friend frequently blowing things up, didn't take the threat idly.

His mother had almost fainted, sure that this behavior would be the gossip for the rest of the year – her son, who spent half the year in an expensive Scottish Boarding School, had been caught shagging a girl in an empty office at the Annual Christmas Party. Of course the girl's name wouldn't be mentioned, she wasn't mysterious, interesting, or –in the minds of many of his mother's friends – disturbed.

And Emily, well Emily had told Charlotte about Ted's _girlfriend_, of course she made it sound like they were still dating. So on top of everything he'd been slapped straight across the face. Of course, Emily also threatened to write his _girlfriend_ whose name she still couldn't remember. And so Ted had managed to convince his father that it was _necessary _he be able to keep his owl in his room. That _"Perseus wouldn't be able to stand being away from him that long, and how was he supposed to get food..."_ and some more bull shit he couldn't remember. Eventually the man had conceded.

Finishing the Coca-Cola he tossed it towards the waste-bin not bothering to pick it up when he missed and it slammed against the wall.

"Ted," at the sound of his sister's incessant knocking; he scrambled around until he found a pair of pants which he slipped on moments before she entered. "Ted, Mum decided she's ready to see you."

"You're lying," he stated staring at her eyes. "You just want to be alone with Perseus. Well, if he listens to you, which I doubt, it's not going to be while I'm around." He climbed off the bed and walked to the bird's cage and held out his arm. "So if that's the only reason you're here you can leave now."

Perseus hopped onto his bare arm taking care not to dig his talons into Ted's flesh.

"Someone has to tell her," Emily insisted.

"She doesn't need to know," he disagreed. "I'm not dating her."

"Well...well…well you might date her again."

"And then it won't be any of her business what I did before, so go away." He lifted a hand and smoothed the owl's feathers.

Exasperated, Emily huffed and looked as if she was about to leave, but instead she just smiled and Ted turned towards the window where Merlin was headed looking very angry.

"Justice," she whispered, and he shoved her out of the door and locked it behind her – before letting Perseus back into his cage, and opening the window for Merlin.

The moment Ted took the letter off of the owl's leg he flew off, and Ted guessed that the bird was irritated from being forced to deliver letters to his house twice in one day.

Not because he owed her anything, they weren't dating anymore after all, but because he was slightly curious at what else she could possibly say to him did he open the letter.

_Ted,_

_I know you're tired of hearing from me, but I had to write you one last time and I'm begging you to read this letter. Just read it, that's all. I love you. Oh, Merlin that sounds awful I know, after everything you can't possibly think I mean it, but I do. I really do. And I'm sorry if I made it seem like you weren't good enough for me, and I'm sorry that I didn't say anything that one time when Malfoy called you a you-know-what. _

_I know you said there was no hope of trying again. And I'm okay with that, I really am. But couldn't we be friends? I'll come out and everything. It's just, well; I have this stupid fantasy, stupid enough that it will make you laugh. It's just the two of us. The time doesn't matter and neither does the place just that we're together. Are you laughing yet? But the thing about it is you're smiling, and you're not just smiling, you're smiling at me. You always look more handsome when you smile. And yes, you're wearing your horrendous Hufflepuff tie and a pair of blue jeans, but I don't care so much. And the things is, in my crazy fantasy there isn't anyone to jeer at us, and my mother isn't standing over my shoulder yelling about blood-purity and we're happy. We're really happy, Ted!_

_Now I know you're laughing, how could you not laugh? After all "we" don't exist anymore. I bet if you write me back you're going to say something about me sounding "daft" or "lovesick" or maybe you'll just ignore me all together. It won't be hard; Merlin isn't going to stay around for you to write back, he's very irritated with me. _

_Like I said before I'm sorry for everything, and I know you're tired of my apologies and fed up with my letters but I just wanted you to know that I really meant it when I said "I love you." No matter what you think._

_Andromeda Black_

Ted didn't laugh he just let the letter fall from his hand onto the ground and slunk to the ground – banging his head against the wall.

"Mum!" He doubted she would come to the sound of his agonized call. "Mum!" He tried again and waited for five-ten-fifteen-twenty-thirty-forty-fifty-

"Ted, what is it?" She appeared in the doorway then looking stressed, "Teddy, what's wrong?"

"You came," he didn't move. "I was convinced you were never going to speak to me again."

The woman walked into his bedroom and came to sit beside him – wrapping one arm around his shoulder, and pulling him closer to her. "Why would you think that?"

"Because, you were so angry," he explained.

"You knew I'd come, otherwise you wouldn't have called me." She pointed out, "now, tell me what's wrong."

"I messed up," he sighed. "I really messed up."

"Yes, I know that, but how?"

"Andromeda…my _ex_-girlfriend," he explained. "She wrote me, again, and I finally read one of her letters and well…" his explaining fell short and he reached for the letter."Callum, the bastard -"

"Hey!" She chastised, "Watch your mouth."

"He was wrong, it didn't work," Ted continued. "I'm not over her, I'm not, and now…now I want her more than ever! And if Emily has her way -"

"Are you telling me you shagged Charlotte Travis to get over your girlfriend?" She removed her arm and – grabbing his shoulders turned him back to her.

He nodded, slowly, and waited for her to slap him or get up and walk out. She did neither. "Callum said -"

"Callum?" She breathed out her anger, "Why do you boys think that passing around girls is some kind of game?"

"Wait, you knew about Callum and Charlotte?" He questioned – eyes widening.

"Of course I knew! I found them here, in your bedroom."

"Damn bastard pretended that he'd been so secretive," Ted mumbled which only warranted a glare from his mother. "What am I supposed to do?" He asked before she could scold him on language – again.

"Stop acting like a baby," she stated plainly. "Write her back; tell her that you messed up."

"That sounds so much easier than it actually is." Ted pulled himself up and brought the letter back in front of his face.

"Also, you're grounded."

"Already am,"

"Well you're grounded again," she rephrased. "You've got to learn to respect girls – no matter what mood you're in. So that will be the phone, the television, your broom, you can't Apparate -"

"Mum!"

"And you're cooking all the meals until school starts again." She continued, and exited the room.

"I can't cook!" He called after her, but she ignored him.

Ted took a seat back on his bed, and raked his fingers through his blonde hair. He briefly considered calling Emily in to do his dirty work, but stopped knowing she'd put a spin on the story to make it worse than it already was.

"_Accio quill," _but without his wand nothing happened, and Ted was forced to actually stand up and walk over to his desk.

Besides a quill, an ink well, and rolls of parchment, the worn desk also contained a mass of trash which he was forced to clear away – push onto the floor – before there was enough writing space. Taking a single sheet he spread it out and – after dipping the quill in ink – started to write.

_Andromeda,_

_I messed up._

He crossed it out automatically, and threw the paper making the waste bin for once.

It would do no good admitting his mess up in a letter no matter what his mother said. It could be misinterpreted, or worse intercepted. He'd tell her once the new term began, he'd explain everything.

Once again Ted picked up his quill and on a new piece of paper penned a very short note.

_Andromeda,_

_Your fantasy sounds swell. I didn't laugh at all. When the new terms starts I want to talk._

_Ted_

With that he beckoned over Perseus and attached the letter to his leg.

"Last one for the night," he stroked the bird's feathers. "Get yourself something to eat while you're out."

As soon as the owl disappeared from the window Ted crashed in his bed. He had to make breakfast in the morning, and he was grounded, but when he got back to school everything would be okay. He'd tell Andromeda the truth and _everything _would be okay.

**A/N: Spoiler: Hey, everybody. Guess what…never mind. Just keep reading**

**Please Review =D**


	6. Chapter Five

**Chapter Five**

He woke up to the sound of his sister's voice. She sounded distant, but that could have been because he was transitioning to alertness. His first reaction – as with every morning – was to reach for his wand on the nightstand but instead he just felt the paper of _The Godfather_, and the events of the night before came back to mind.

_Callum. Charlotte. Andromeda._

He didn't move, but he did focus more on Emily's words – ready to jump up and apprehend her.

"You have to take this letter to his girlfriend…why won't you listen to me? You stupid bird! –Ow! That hurt! Bad bird!" The words came out in a sharp whisper.

Slowly, he allowed his eyes to drift open. Emily was attempting and failing to command his owl. Apparently, he'd had nothing to worry about the night before.

"He's tired, Emily. I sent him out last night." His voice came out quieter than he'd expected it to, and more groggy.

"You're awake!" She tripped over air and crashed on the ground her hands still on Perseus's cage, which fell with her though the owl himself was able to narrowly escape.

Ted jumped out of the bed - ignoring the blood that instantly rushed to his head, and the headache that followed. And he lifted the cage from his sister, before reaching down a hand and pulling the girl up.

Emily, who was still in pajamas, looked up at him in absolute terror.

"Mum has my wand," he admitted, and instantly she didn't seem so scared.

Ted started towards his closet, but Emily stayed standing there –unmoving – her middle finger bleeding and her dark hair in a mess around her face.

"I'm about to get dressed, Emily, so unless you want to watch me strip I suggest you leave."

She still didn't move.

"What's wrong?" He asked finally, and she turned to him sticking her finger in her mouth.

"Why does he only listen to you?" She questioned.

"Cause he's my bird." Noticing a shirt on the ground, Ted reached down sniffed it and then pulled it on over his head. "And I don't call him _stupid_ like you do."

"He never bites you," she murmured. "Is it because you're…you have magic?" She asked, and he noticed tears forming in her sapphire eyes.

"No, it's nothing like that." Though he wasn't sure whether or not that was true. "He's just tired, and he doesn't like being berated. It has nothing to do with you." Turning back to his closet he yanked a pair of jeans off of the hanger.

"Why don't I have magic?" She finally asked, and he turned back to her.

"I thought you didn't care,"

"I don't." She insisted, but tears were falling down her cheeks now. "I was…I just want to know."

"I don't know, Emily." He shrugged. "Apparently, I'm not supposed to have magic at all." He admitted, and threw the jeans on the bed.

She started to stuff her hands into her pockets, but then - remembering she was still in pajamas – crossed them in front of her chest instead. But the tears didn't stop.

"It must be sort of great though," she mumbled to herself more than to him. "You can make all sorts of things happen to people you don't like, and you get to go to an amazing school in the middle of nowhere that people like me can't even see, and -"

"And people hate me because I don't have wizard parents, and I'm not allowed to use magic against Mug-people like you, and I'm not allowed to use magic at all outside of school until I turn seventeen – this year, and it's no fun when you're the one getting hexed or cursed, and -"

"You're just saying all that stuff to make me feel better," she sniffed. "You love it at Hogwarts." She stared at the ground, "I lied you know, when I said I didn't care. When I was eleven and I didn't get a letter I cried."

"Emily -"

"You should really get dressed" and she started out the door, but Ted grabbed her wrist and pulled her back.

"Lemme heal that," he pointed to her finger. "I'm pretty sure I know where mum has my wand. I'll fix your finger and then I'll finish getting dressed and make breakfast, okay?"

She nodded and he ruffled her messy nest of hair –before starting towards his room door.

0o0o0o0o0o

The Gryffindor Common Room was absent of Gryffindors which, precisely, was why Sirius had allowed his Slytherin cousin to enter – much to the chagrin of the Fat Lady. The two were spending their Christmas Eve playing Wizard's Chess.

"Next Christmas, I'm going to James's house." Sirius stated staring down at the chess board. "Knight to E5"

"Next Christmas, I'll have graduated." Andromeda smiled at the thought. "Bishop to E5," the bishop dragged the Knight off of the board.

"You're right," Sirius conceded. "Next Christmas you will have graduated and, if my mother has her way, be married to Rabastan Lestrange."

"Spare me," she made a gagging noise.

"What about Nott then? You adore Nott."

"I do not adore him, he's like thirty something. He entertains me is all, but he's much too old."

"Then who?"

Andromeda smiled to herself. _Ted._ Okay, it was a long shot the letter had only said he wanted to talk to her – probably to establish a mutual friendship. But it did sound nice _Andromeda Tonks_. Oh, Merlin she was starting to sound like Narcissa. Still she couldn't stop her mind from thinking Andromeda-Ted- and a little girl that had her hair and his eyes.

"It's your turn," she motioned to the chess board.

"Why are you smiling so much?" He questioned, "Planning on stealing Malfoy from Cissy."

"You better be joking! And no, why would I choose Malfoy when I could have Goyle." She smirked and Sirius erupted into peals of laughter.

"Queen to B3," he chuckled out.

"Are you paying any attention?" She questioned, "Pawn to B3." Sirius gasped and Andromeda smiled. "Your turn,"

"I give up," he stood up.

"You haven't even lost yet," she argued. "It's no fun if you don't lose."

"Thanks, that makes me feel loads better."

Andromeda rolled her eyes and leaned back against the couch – a smile still playing on her lips, a smile that was refusing to go away.

"You still haven't told me why you're smiling so much." Sirius collapsed beside her.

"I'm just… happy. I'm happy. I'm spending Christmas Eve with my _baby _cousin, and no one is yelling over my shoulder about all the things I've done wrong. I'm happy, Sirius."

"So what you really mean is everything worked out with your boyfriend." He smirked up at her and she shoved his head away.

_Yeah, Sirius_ she thought. _From now on, everything will be perfect._

_

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_

**A/N: Of course not!**

**So this is a bit of a filler chapter. I'm going to be off of fanfiction – because of exams so your next update will probably be in two weeks. Since chapter six isn't written yet it might be longer. **

**Reviews do help with inspiration though. *HintHint***

**Please don't alert without reviewing =D**


	7. Part Two

**A/N: I'm back thanks to some not so subtle reviews lol. So this chapter is sort of a reintroduction into the story for me. If anyone's reading still let me know how I do.**

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**Part Two**

The Hogwarts train always made Ted feel like he was on his way to Narnia. In first year he'd pretended he was Peter Pevensie and Headmaster Dumbledore was Professor Kirke, but today he felt more like Edmund, a traitor. Only, instead of betraying his family for Turkish Delights, he'd betrayed his on-again-off-again girlfriend to prove himself to his childhood friend. Seventeen and comparing himself to fictional characters, Ted knew that wasn't good.

"You look nervous, Tonks."

Ted shifted in his seat and tore his eyes away from the window to face his best friend. He'd met John Burke, commonly known as Jack, on the train ride to Hogwarts in their first year. Jack was a half-blood who had been sorted into Gryffindor, but the two had still managed to stay close in-spite of their separation.

"Did you ever think that this will be our last train ride to Hogwarts, ever?"

Jack frowned. "You're not the sentimental type, Tonks. Why do you look like you want to jump off the train?"

Ted shrugged off the question. He'd been feeling nervous since he'd boarded the train, and he was starting to wish he'd told Andromeda the truth before. If he'd just put it in the letter she would have had time to blow off steam. Now he was going to have to tell her in person.

"Jack, if you break up with a girl and then later you get back together, can you be held responsible for what you did…you know, between?"

"Is this about Black?" Jack's question was rhetorical. "What'd you do?" Jack mocked his friend in sing-song fashion.

Jack was Ted's only friend who knew about Andromeda, and he'd only found out on accident. He'd lost patience for Ted's complaints a long time ago, though. "She's a Black," Jack had said. "Either deal with it or break-up with her. Either way, shut up about it."

"Hypothetical." Ted knew it wouldn't work, but he figured he should make himself look less guilty if he could manage it.

"Depends what you did?"

"Shagged another girl." Ted whispered it, leaning in low so he could be sure no one else heard it.

Jack leaned in too. "You're dead."

The door flew open, and the two boys sprung apart. The trolley witch's eyes widened. "Anything from the trolley?" Her voice was weak with shock.

"No thank you." Ted smiled, but it didn't do any good.

Jack shook his head.

"I'll leave you two to umm…"

"No!" Ted started to argue, but the door closed and the trolley lady continued down to the next compartment.

Jack laughed, but Ted just leaned back into his seat. Forget about being mortified, the last thing he needed was this to get back to Andromeda. Was the trolley lady a gossip? What if she mentioned that two boys had been suspiciously close on the train? Or worse, what if she'd heard them talking?

"You don't think-"

"I doubt it," Jack answered, already knowing. "Besides, no one knows about you and the Slytherin princess. I guess it's a good thing no one pays attention to you."

Ted nodded, but his eyes didn't leave the door.

"There's absolutely no way she can find out, right?" A dangerous question. Ted's plan had been to tell Andromeda when he got to school, but the more he thought about it the less he liked that idea. It wasn't like he _had_ to tell her. After all, he liked her, and she'd said she'd tell her family and friends about him. There was no reason for him to ruin it.

"Not unless someone tells her."

And there wasn't anyone else. Just Emily, his mum and dad, Callum, Charlotte, Jack, and maybe the trolley lady. Only Jack would really be able to tell Andromeda, but he wouldn't betray Ted like that. After all, that's what best mates were for.

"Right."

Ted breathed. He didn't need to worry. He just needed to keep his secret. The thought didn't make him feel any better.

~oOo~

Andromeda had been doing her hair all morning. There wasn't a reason for it. Her hair looked effortlessly good Narcissa had told her with more than a little bit of jealousy. It was thick and curly, but the curls never seemed to get tangled much to her two sisters' chagrin. Cissy's bone straight blonde hair hung limp no matter what she tried on it, and Bella's curls were impossible to comb through.

Even so, doing her hair gave Andromeda something to focus her mind on. Her room was spotless, so she couldn't do her usual mind occupying activity. She wished again that she'd gone home for Christmas. At least then she wouldn't be waiting alone and instead would have Cissy for company even if it meant dealing with Lucius Malfoy for the entire train ride. Instead, she was alone in her room hoping that the Hogwarts train would hurry up and arrive.

Andromeda lowered her brush and smiled at her reflection in the mirror, checking her teeth. She was nervous, really nervous. Sure, she wanted Ted to get here so that she could talk to him, but there was the other part too. Andromeda had promised him that she would tell her friends that they were going out, if they did go out, and she knew how they'd respond. It wasn't just her friends she was worried about, though. What about Narcissa and Lucius? What if word got back to her parents? Bella? Was it worth it to risk all of that for a boy, even a boy she liked? That's why she was nervous. She was second-guessing herself. It was possible, after all, that she'd launched into this decision without thinking it through.

"Don't think like that, Andy," she coaxed herself. "Everything's going to perfect, remember…perfect."

She smiled a broad, beautiful smile into the mirror. But Andromeda couldn't help but feel dread building in her stomach.

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**A/N: Review? And the next chapter won't be up until I finish writing **_**The Beginning of the Rest of Our Lives**_**.**


	8. Chapter Six

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews, favorites, and follows.**

**My other story **_**The Beginning of the Rest of Our Lives**_** is finished (writing not posting)! So for now I'll be focusing my efforts on this story as well as **_**A Dying Breed**_**.**

**Disclaimer: Except for the ideas and the OCs, everything else belongs to Rowling**

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**Chapter Six**

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Hiding in plain sight only worked if no one was looking for you, and it seemed that today everybody needed to find Andromeda Black. Unfortunately, this was the one day she wanted to be unpopular – as unpopular as Arthur Weasley. Of course, she was doubtful that anyone could accomplish that.

"Andromeda!"

Queenie Greengrass slid into the booth with Andromeda even though there was more than one empty table in the Three Broomsticks. Ever since Narcissa and Lucius had started dating, Queenie had been spending more and more time around Andromeda. Normally, she wouldn't have minded that much, but Queenie Greengrass brought the total of table visitors up to three, and Andromeda's goal had been to be invisible.

"I've been looking for you." A wide smile was stretched across her face. "Well, Narcissa sent me to look for you, and I was more than happy to oblige. My little brother's been stalking me. First years, you know."

"Sirius was like that too." Andromeda did her best to keep a friendly face and took a sip of butterbeer. "It'll change."

"Oh, I hope so. I'm so worried about him. What if he ends up a loser? He's already been here half a year and Slughorn hasn't even glanced at him."

"There's more to success than the Slug Club."

"Easy for you to say." Greengrass sighed and placed her chin in her open palms.

This time, Andromeda's smile was genuine. She knew it was wrong, but she felt more than a little satisfaction at Queenie Greengrass's jealousy. Even before Andromeda had entered Hogwarts, Bellatrix had explained to her what it meant to be a Black, but it had taken until her first day to really understand it. When you were Pure-blood royalty, every door was opened to you. Even Sirius, who was a Gryffindor, and Regulus, who had been born a recluse, didn't need to worry about finding their place in the world. Wealth, status, even beauty were things that they not only had, but were taught they deserved. Greengrasses, Potters, Lestranges, even the Malfoys weren't equal. All of this her mother had taught her, but Hogwarts had shown her.

"Andromeda?" Greengrass poked her.

"Hmm…" She jolted back into alertness.

"Who's that boy staring at you?"

Andromeda looked, and her smile instantly fell. Near the door stood the ugly side of what it meant to be a Black. It meant that _Toujours Pur_ was a phrase to be taken seriously with no exceptions. Andromeda's mother had taught her and her sisters before they'd even started school how to cook and clean with magic. The Black specialty was sock folding, of which only Andromeda had really mastered. Bellatrix didn't see the point, and Narcissa was set on having her House-elf do all the cleaning. Of course, Bellatrix was a master of Dark Arts, and Narcissa had been the only one of the three to manage underage Apparition without getting splinched.

There was more to do than just cook and clean, though. There were also charities to get involved in. Respectable ones like St. Mungos, of course. "Stay away from charities having to do with Mud-bloods and Half-Breeds," her mother had instructed.

The most important thing, though, was marrying into a respectable Pure-blood family to preserve the magic and the wealth. Half-bloods were foolish if they thought Pure-blood marriages had nothing to do with money.

Ted represented the opposite of everything being a Black stood for, and Andromeda wasn't stupid enough to think that wouldn't matter. Her aunt had almost sent a Howler to Headmaster Dumbledore when Sirius had been sorted into Gryffindor. Andromeda had been groomed for the Malfoys and Lestranges of the world; liking a Muggle-born was unacceptable.

Seeing Ted standing by the door, caused Andromeda's stomach to drop. She knew that she'd told him things were going to be different this time. She'd even introduced him to one of her friends to prove it – a Ravenclaw who Andromeda had met on the train in first year. And they'd agreed to meet at The Three Broomsticks. At the time, Andromeda had even been a little excited at the thought of going on a real date, but now she was starting to think it had been a bad idea. After all, none of Andromeda's other friends knew about them, and none of them seemed inclined to leave her alone.

"Can you get me another butterbeer?"

Andromeda flashed Greengrass her best smile as she voiced her request. She may have told Ted that things were going to be different, but that didn't mean she was ready to start right now. He could understand that, couldn't he? She needed to slowly introduce him into her life, and Greengrass definitely wasn't the person to begin with. Maybe she could give him a formal introduction to Sirius. Her second year cousin was a good introduction to her family. Yes, that's what she would do. But for now, Andromeda needed to get out of The Three Broomsticks.

"Fine." Queenie held out her hand and Andromeda dropped a gold galleon.

"Keep the change," she joked.

With Greengrass was a safe distance away, Andromeda slipped out of the booth and headed over to Ted, doing her best not to dart her eyes too much lest she look suspicious. Of course, she already did.

"Andy!"

Andromeda froze. She could count on one hand the number of people who called her that, and she didn't want to see any of them. In the distance, Ted started to wave, and behind her Narcissa approached.

She turned right into her sister's hug.

Normally, her sister made her smile. Narcissa's perpetual cheer was refreshing, and it had only increased since she'd started dating Luicus Malfoy. Right now, though, her presence was just making Andromeda nervous. The word _busted _started to ring in her ears. Narcissa was just the person who could ruin the carefully constructed house of cards Andromeda had built with her not-exactly lies to her sister and her boyfriend. Andromeda found herself wishing that Ted would drop his hand.

"Cissy." She faked enthusiasm. "What is it?"

But Narcissa wasn't smiling anymore. She was looking past Andromeda. "Why's the Mudblood coming this way, Andy?"

Andromeda turned. Yes, her sister was just the gust of wind that could bring her house of cards crashing down. She'd just asked the right question, after all, and this was Andromeda's chance. Ted was within earshot, but he had paused to see what she would do, and Narcissa was eyeing her with disgust clearly written on her face.

"I dunno." Andromeda was Slytherin, a survivor. There was a reason she hadn't been sorted for bravery. "It's not like I'm a Mudwallower."

Narcissa's smile returned. "Let's go, Andy. Lucius has a table waiting!"

Narcissa grabbed her wrist and started to pull her away. As for Andromeda, she dared a glance backwards knowing the best she could probably manage was an apology to Ted and a hope that he'd forgive her.

He was gone.

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**A/N: Please drop a review if you have a chance. I start school soon, but I'll try my best to keep updating. Also, vote on my poll ****. The next chapter is actually going to go backwards, in case you were curious. **


	9. Chapter Seven

**Chapter Seven**

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Mudwallower. Scumsucker. Mudblood Lover. Ted had heard all of those words. Since first year, they'd been spat at his friends by the Pureblood students whose families, it seemed, practically owned Hogwarts. The Lestrange brothers and Bellatrix Black, now Lestrange, were the most notorious for their harassment. Of course, they saved the worst insults for Ted himself and other students like him. Mudblood. It was a word that prior to Hogwarts meant nothing and since Hogwarts had become his identity.

"Magic," Andromeda had explained to him, "is what makes you human. At least, that's what we were taught. It's the reason Muggles aren't."

"Aren't human?" he'd asked.

She'd nodded and he'd noticed condescension in her eyes, no matter she'd tried to hide it. "They're subhuman because they don't have magic. But you do. It confuses Bella…makes her mad, that's all. She's not a bad person, Ted."

"And you believe that too. You think having magic makes you better?"

"Course not."

Except she did. Ted had seen it in her eyes. Of course, he'd ignored it. She _liked _him. And she couldn't like him and look down on where he'd come from at the same time. Could she? At her core, she still believed in wizard superiority. He'd known that, but he liked her too. Ted really liked Andromeda Black, so he'd ignored all of the signs.

That was why he'd wanted to make up with her. He'd sent her that stupid letter over Christmas break. And they had made up. He hadn't really had a chance against her. That was the problem. At the end of the day Andromeda was beautiful, and she was intimately aware of the fact. When he'd first met her she'd managed to give him the biggest crush with her with just her eyes. Just because he knew her now didn't mean that the effect was gone. Just muted. The last time they'd talked, she'd played all of her strengths – her beauty and her class, she was full of apologies, and she'd even made him feel guilty for even daring to consider breaking up with her. Besides, she'd _promised_ that things would be different. So he hadn't had a chance but to agree to try again.

He'd been tricked.

Nothing was different. Andromeda was still Andromeda, and in front of the people that mattered she had no problem denying him. After all, who was he? Just a Mudblood. She was the Slytherin Princess. It was almost as though they existed in different worlds. Ted hated it. And thinking about it made him feel miserable. Still, he felt like he deserved to feel this way. He should have known that nothing would change. He shouldn't have been so foolish.

Well, it wouldn't happen again. This time, they were going to break up for good. There were other girls. Girls who respected him. Girls who were much better for him than Andromeda Black. And when he started going out with one of them, the Princess of Slytherin House would regret treating him this way, but it wouldn't matter. Ted wasn't going to take her back.

"Hey, Ted."

It was Andromeda. Sheepishly she approached him, her teeth resting on her lower lip. Her hands were folded in front of her like a young child caught behaving badly, and she waited from a distance for permission to approach him.

"Yes."

Andromeda took his answer as permission and walked over and sat down beside him.

"Ted, I'm sorry." She stared up at him through her long eyelashes, but Ted held to his resolution. Not this time. He wasn't going to fall for her tricks this time. "It's just…"

"I don't care." He shut her down. "You lied. I'm tired of playing games-"

"I mean it." She pressed. "You don't understand how hard this is. I'm trying, but you can't understand what it's like for me!"

It was their old fight all over again, and Ted did not even know why he was humoring it. He stood up, ready to walk away.

"You have to understand," she continued. "I love you."

If there was one phrase he hated, it was that one. It was the kind that caused his limbs to freeze and he found himself falling back into his seat. He liked Andromeda, sure, but love. Was that a thing you felt for a girl when you were a teenager? He wasn't sure. Could she love him? The thought of Andromeda Black loving him made his head feel fuzzy. Love came with other things, didn't it? Love came with promises you had to keep, and commitments, and sex.

His defenses slowly started to fall apart. Callum and Emily were right about him. He was really as carnal as they thought. It made him feel sick but also giddy, mostly giddy.

"What?!"

"I love you." Her voice shook.

She really was beautiful, and he wanted to kiss her more than he wanted to break her heart. That was how unimportant his pride felt at the moment.

"No." His mind fought back against his hormones. "No, Andromeda, you don't. And I'm tired of putting up with this, with you. We're finished. For real this time."

He walked away so he didn't have to watch her cry. Because he hated that. He hated that more than anything else.

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**A/N: This story is getting really hard for me to write. I started it so long ago that I can't capture the voice I used originally. Anyway, lemme know what you think. **


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